Hunting High And Low - A-Ha - Listen to Free Music by A-Ha on Pandora Internet Radio more A-Ha Pal Waaktaar and Magne Furuholmen, formerly of Bridges, formed a-ha in the early '80s. Morten Harket joined the duo, and they left for the now "legendary London flat" (so called because of its state of disrepair) to make it. By late 1983 they had achieved part of that goal by signing to WEA. "Take on Me" took three times to become a hit in the U.K., eventually hitting number two in November 1985. Going one better in the U.S. mainly due to the wide exposure of its stunning video on MTV, which fused animation with real-life action, their only further hit there was "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." which became a U.K. number one in early 1986, helping take the album Hunting High and Low to the Top Ten.

With a-ha's debut album mainly consisting of synth pop, the press were quick to dismiss them as a teeny bop sensation; however, there was more to the group than met the ear in Waaktaar's writing, and a more mature effort, Scoundrel Days, was released in October 1986. More focused, it had a stronger band feel thanks to its live drumming, displayed to great lengths on "The Swing of Things and lead single "I've Been Losing You" -- a shock to critics at the time. Further striking imagery accompanied "Cry Wolf." After a world tour, a-ha supplied the soundtrack to the James Bond flick The Living Daylights. A remix appeared on their third album, Stay on These Roads, in 1988. Considered lackluster, Stay on These Roads did feature some interesting lyrics in "Blood That Moves the Body," regarding the over-intense affection the Japanese had for popular icons in their kamikaze-like suicides. On a lighter note, one of the famous quotes of this period came from Waaktaar: commenting on Def Leppard 's success with Hysteria, he scoffed that a-ha were more rock & roll!

In 1990, a-ha were commended by the Everly Brothers for their rendition of "Crying in the Rain" from their fourth album, East of the Sun, West of the Moon, which was largely ignored in the U.K. due to a shift in interests toward dance and the Manchester scene. The year 1993 heralded some much needed new blood in the U2 terrain of "Dark Is the Night" from the Memorial Beach album. Following the unfortunate lack of success following Memorial Beach, Furuholmen retreated into the art world while Waaktaar released the album Mary Is Coming with his new band Savoy. Seven years after the release of Memorial Beach, a-ha issued Minor Earth Major Sky in summer 2000. Released in 2002, Lifelines sold well in Europe and was followed by a lengthy tour, documented on the live album How Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head, which was released in 2003. A year later a-ha celebrated their 20th anniversary by releasing Singles 1984-2004, a collection that would put them back on the U.K. Top 20 Albums chart.

In July of 2005 the band performed in Berlin as part of the massive worldwide event Live8. In November they released the new album Analogue. It was supported by a worldwide tour that included gigs in Russia and a festival in Chile. In 2009, upon issuing their ninth studio album, Foot of the Mountain, a-ha announced that they would be retiring. However, they returned in 2015 with a new album, Cast in Steel, followed by a world tour. ~ Kelvin Hayes a-ha on Apple Music To preview a song, mouse over the title and click Play. Open iTunes to buy and download music. Biography Pal Waaktaar and Magne Furuholmen, formerly of Bridges, formed a-ha in the early '80s. Morten Harket joined the duo, and they left for the now "legendary London flat" (so called because of its state of disrepair) to make it. By late 1983 they had achieved part of that goal by signing to WEA. "Take on Me" took three times to become a hit in the U.K., eventually hitting number two in November 1985.

Going one better in the U.S. mainly due to the wide exposure of its stunning video on MTV, which fused animation with real-life action, their only further hit there was "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." which became a U.K. number one in early 1986, helping take the album Hunting High and Low to the Top Ten. With a-ha's debut album mainly consisting of synth pop, the press were quick to dismiss them as a teeny bop sensation; however, there was more to the group than met the ear in Waaktaar's writing, and a more mature effort, Scoundrel Days, was released in October 1986. More focused, it had a stronger band feel thanks to its live drumming, displayed to great lengths on "The Swing of Things and lead single "I've Been Losing You" -- a shock to critics at the time. Further striking imagery accompanied "Cry Wolf." After a world tour, a-ha supplied the soundtrack to the James Bond flick The Living Daylights. A remix appeared on their third album, Stay on These Roads, in 1988.

Considered lackluster, Stay on These Roads did feature some interesting lyrics in "Blood That Moves the Body," regarding the over-intense affection the Japanese had for popular icons in their kamikaze-like suicides. On a lighter note, one of the famous quotes of this period came from Waaktaar: commenting on Def Leppard's success with Hysteria, he scoffed that a-ha were more rock & roll! In 1990, a-ha were commended by the Everly Brothers for their rendition of "Crying in the Rain" from their fourth album, East of the Sun, West of the Moon, which was largely ignored in the U.K. due to a shift in interests toward dance and the Manchester scene. The year 1993 heralded some much needed new blood in the U2 terrain of "Dark Is the Night" from the Memorial Beach album. Following the unfortunate lack of success following Memorial Beach, Furuholmen retreated into the art world while Waaktaar released the album Mary Is Coming with his new band Savoy. Seven years after the release of Memorial Beach, a-ha issued Minor Earth Major Sky in summer 2000.

Released in 2002, Lifelines sold well in Europe and was followed by a lengthy tour, documented on the live album How Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head, which was released in 2003. A year later a-ha celebrated their 20th anniversary by releasing Singles 1984-2004, a collection that would put them back on the U.K. Top 20 Albums chart. In July of 2005 the band performed in Berlin as part of the massive worldwide event Live8. In November they released the new album Analogue. It was supported by a worldwide tour that included gigs in Russia and a festival in Chile. In 2009, upon issuing their ninth studio album, Foot of the Mountain, a-ha announced that they would be retiring. However, they returned in 2015 with a new album, Cast in Steel, followed by a world tour. ~ Kelvin Hayes Top Albums a-ha | Free Internet Radio | Slacker Radio Falco Biography Pal Waaktaar and Magne Furuholmen, formerly of Bridges, formed a-ha in the early '80s.

Morten Harket joined the duo, and they left for the now "legendary London flat" (so called because of its state of disrepair) to make it. By late 1983 they had achieved part of that goal by signing to WEA. "Take on Me" took three times to become a hit in the U.K., eventually hitting number two in November 1985. Going one better in the U.S. mainly due to the wide exposure of its stunning video on MTV, which fused animation with real-life action, their only further hit there was "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." which became a U.K. number one in early 1986, helping take the album Hunting High and Low to the Top Ten. With a-ha's debut album mainly consisting of synth pop, the press were quick to dismiss them as a teeny bop sensation; however, there was more to the group than met the ear in Waaktaar's writing, and a more mature effort, Scoundrel Days, was released in October 1986.

More focused, it had a stronger band feel thanks to its live drumming, displayed to great lengths on "The Swing of Things and lead single "I've Been Losing You" -- a shock to critics at the time. Further striking imagery accompanied "Cry Wolf." After a world tour, a-ha supplied the soundtrack to the James Bond flick The Living Daylights. A remix appeared on their third album, Stay on These Roads, in 1988. Considered lackluster, Stay on These Roads did feature some interesting lyrics in "Blood That Moves the Body," regarding the over-intense affection the Japanese had for popular icons in their kamikaze-like suicides. On a lighter note, one of the famous quotes of this period came from Waaktaar: commenting on Def Leppard's success with Hysteria, he scoffed that a-ha were more rock & roll! In 1990, a-ha were commended by the Everly Brothers for their rendition of "Crying in the Rain" from their fourth album, East of the Sun, West of the Moon, which was largely ignored in the U.K. due to a shift in interests toward dance and the Manchester scene.

The year 1993 heralded some much needed new blood in the U2 terrain of "Dark Is the Night" from the Memorial Beach album. Following the unfortunate lack of success following Memorial Beach, Furuholmen retreated into the art world while Waaktaar released the album Mary Is Coming with his new band Savoy. Seven years after the release of Memorial Beach, a-ha issued Minor Earth Major Sky in summer 2000. Released in 2002, Lifelines sold well in Europe and was followed by a lengthy tour, documented on the live album How Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head, which was released in 2003. A year later a-ha celebrated their 20th anniversary by releasing Singles 1984-2004, a collection that would put them back on the U.K. Top 20 Albums chart. In July of 2005 the band performed in Berlin as part of the massive worldwide event Live8. In November they released the new album Analogue. It was supported by a worldwide tour that included gigs in Russia and a festival in Chile.

In 2009, upon issuing their ninth studio album, Foot of the Mountain, a-ha announced that they would be retiring. However, they returned in 2015 with a new album, Cast in Steel, followed by a world tour. ~ Kelvin Hayes Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Hunting High & Low Hunting High & Low 4.5 out of 5 stars 181 Price:$33.08+ Free shipping with Amazon Prime Your rating( Clear )Rate this item 71 people found this helpful 5.0 out of 5 starsBuy it. Need I say more? ByCalvin Lawrenceon April 20, 2000 I was just a teen when Take On Me hit the airwaves in the US. The song was/is like no other, as was the video. The ONLY bad thing about this album is that it's too short. If it had 30 songs on it, it would still be too short. It is just like a good book, never long enough. All the songs on this cd are excellent, and my favorites are Living A Boys Adventure Tale, The Sun Always Shines On Tv and of course, Take On Me.

But if you live in the U.S., then you must think that Take On Me is the only song ever put out by this misunderstood and mislead band. Well I have learned that the radio is NOT the place to go to if you want to listen to good music. a-ha's second (Scoundrel Days), and third (Stay On These Roads)albums are also excellent and the band sticks to their previous style and sound as in Hunting High and Low. They are both worthy additions to your library. But read on. But if you want to understand what a mistake the U.S. has made with this band, Warner Bros. especially, then I would recommend you also pick up East of The Sun, West of the Moon and Memoral Beach. These two albums show just how mature the band has become. The songwriting is excellent and the sound is like none other. These albums are TOTALLY different from Hunting High and Low, but then again, why would you want the same thing? Early Morning on EOSWOM and Cold as Stone on Memorial Beach are two examples of this bands greatness. Both could be hits in the U.S. today, if they could just get a little radio airtime. Yeah, right.

Most of what is on the radio today is TRASH! Record companies today are signing one album wonders instead of promoting AND supporting good musicians, which in the long run, is beneficial to both parties involved. Radio broadcasters have their songs preselected for them and don't dare play anything not on their list. What a shame and a sham. Pick up Hunting High and Low, then pick up one of their most recent releases. Go into a quiet room, turn off the lights and simply listen to the albums 3 or 4 times. You won't be dissapointed. 11 people found this helpful 2.0 out of 5 starsBeware people! Byragowon February 12, 2012 Beware people! They have trimmed the extended version of "Sun Always Shines On TV" for this double CD reissue. They've cut the start off what used to be a wonderfully epic 12". It used to 8.25 long - it now begins with a poorly executed fade in. Very sad. And what about the 12" on Take On Me? Why would you leave it off this reissue? Stupid really.

Good news is both these 12" are available in their original glory on the Retro:Active series. Take On Me is available on Volume 1 Rare & Remixed , The Sun Always Shines... is on Volume 2 Retro Active Rare & Remixed 2 . These CDs are getting a bit scarse, so happy hunting high & low! Format: Audio CD | Verified Purchase Beware people! They have trimmed the extended version of "Sun Always Shines On TV" for this double CD reissue. They've cut the start off what used to be a wonderfully epic 12". It used to 8.25 long - it now begins with a poorly executed fade in. Very sad. And what about the 12" on Take On Me? Why would you leave it off this reissue? Stupid really. Good news is both these 12" are available in their original glory on the Retro:Active series. Take On Me is available on Volume 1 Rare & Remixed , The Sun Always Shines... is on Volume 2 Retro Active Rare & Remixed 2 . These CDs are getting a bit scarse, so happy hunting high & low! 11 comment | 11 people found this helpful.

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Showing 0 of 1 comments Sort by: Format: Audio CD | Verified Purchase I'd been waiting for this album to be remastered...it was exciting to see a deluxe set with two discs of material. I looked over the track listing and noticed something was amiss, but I ordered it, hoping it would be good anyway. I would have bought this even if it had been a single disc collection, just to hear the better sound quality. The old disc is kind of flat. I love this remaster. The original 10 track album is crisp and clear with a fuller sound. Songs like Train of Thought have sounds in them that I couldn't hear before. It almost feels like listening to the song for the first time. Even the song everyone knows and has heard a million times, Take On Me, sounds fresh. Included are remixes, b-sides, previously unreleased songs, and demos. They used a good extended mix of The Sun Always Shines. I never heard the 12" of HHAL. It's better than the album version. The demo is quite different from the album version and is interesting to hear. Some people are not into demos.

I think it's interesting to hear a little of how a song goes through changes during the recording process. But most of the demos aren't any I'd want to listen to over and over. The b-sides are the best part. I like "Stop! and Make Your Mind Up". It's a bouncy little song. "Dot the i" and "Nothing to It" are other good ones, and "Driftwood" sounds very early 80s, the beginning is even similar to Michael Jackson's "Off the Wall" in a way. The booklet looks good, though I wish it had contained a full page color photo of the band. There are many great photos from the time period that could've been used. Lyrics are included. A nicely put together package. The only fault of this release is what I noticed when skimming the track listing, and it's been mentioned already but it bears repeating. The extended version of Take on Me was *not* included. It should've been. One of the biggest songs of the 1980s that had a great extended version. I love the opening...it's pop heaven. It belongs on a deluxe set.

The liner notes have stated, "this deluxe edition of HHAL is the last word on a-ha's landmark breakthrough". How can that be when an important track was omitted? It is incomplete. One song missing isn't a big deal, but it's an important song. I'd understand if there hadn't been room to include it. But disc one runs just under 61 minutes, leaving plenty of space for the 5 minute track, with room to spare. Yet it was left off. Someone dropped the ball with that one. Or maybe it has to do with licensing problems. I can't think of any other reason why it would be left off. This is definitely worth buying if you love the album. But I do feel disappointed, I was really hoping that 12" would be included. People shouldn't have to locate that track separately--it should have been here as a complete package of a classic album. Still, I really enjoy listening to the CDs, and I think it's worth 4 1/2 stars. At least there is plenty of material to help make up for that omission. If you love the album or 80s synth pop, get it.

Format: Audio CD | Verified Purchase The deluxe Ed book is very thick and heavy and houses the discs. The dvd is awesome, seeing the MTV music vids once again. Love the alt takes/remixes/club mixes and never previously released tracks. Sadly disc 3 has issues with playback on tracks 14/15(not playing at all), depending on which player I use for playback. I have tried to play the disc in a new portable boom box, 3 blu ray and 1 dvd players. Only my BD player hooked up to my home stereo will play track 14. And only plays track 15 till it reaches 4:49 of the 6 min song. Then it proceeds to hiccup and freeze. I have left Rhino email/voice mail. But their customer service seems slim to none. I'd hate the return the entire product back for 1 lone disc, and hope Rhino responds about replacing the defective disc 3, rather than have to mail back to Amazon, and try again to get a good copy. 0Comment | One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Yes No Report abuse Comment Format: Audio CD | Verified Purchase Man, Man, Man!!--I was clubbin' and giggin' strong when this album dropped back in 1985! This is one of my favorite albums of the 80's techno-pop genre that was strong at the time. For a techno project, it proved that it was possible to be soulful while embracing the technology of the time, and it also had some great songs to sustain that theory! I'm sure all of you 40-50 yr old Gen-Xers remember when it's lead single, the eternally perky "Take On Me", with it's innovative video, was getting major play on MTV and Friday Night Videos, as well as in the clubs all over the U.S. and Europe! I was 21 yrs old when this album came out and playing keys & synths for a band who played top 40 hits in clubs and private functions up and down the eastcoast, so it was essential for me to learn how to program in order to achieve the sound textures on this album.

A-HA's "Hunting High & Low", DM's "Black Celebration" and Kraftwerk's "Electric Cafe" definitely put me through my paces as a keyboardist! (-: Of course, some of these sounds are cheesy & dated by today's standards, but the vibe of these classic techo-pop albums are eternal! But much more than "Take On Me", my favorite song from this album was the epic "The Sun Always Shines On TV"!!--Which had drama to burn! When I first heard this song, on a monster club system, in a slighty altered state, I felt as though I had left my body! (-: In fact, that song made me buy this album on both vinyl (for the house) as well as on cassette for my car!

Every now and then, when waxing nostalgic for the 80's, I'll put this album on (now I have the CD) and I still find that "Take On Me", "Train Of Thought", "Hunting High & Low", "Blue Sky", "The Sun Always Shines On TV", "And You Tell Me", "I Dream Myself Alive" and the highly underrated "Here I Stand & Face The Rain" still make my head bob and a smile comes over my face some 24 yrs later. This is defintely a classic and a techno-pop masterpiece! 0Comment | 2 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Report abuse Comment Format: MP3 Music | Verified Purchase I don't know if this album was hurt by having such a "viral" (this would have been it, had such a term been used back then) video. While Take On Me was great, it doomed a-ha to one-hit-wonder status, despite it being an excellent album. To me, this is one of the quintessential '80's albums and if you had to pick 5-albums (and only 5), this should be included.

If you do the math, that means that if you have more than 5 records from that decade, you need to buy this one - if you don't already own it! :) 0Comment | 2 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Report abuse Comment Format: Audio CD | Verified Purchase What a great re-release of Hunting High and Low. Such great memories. I finally got back some of the old songs I was missing in extended format. The Sun Always Shines on T.V. is a pleasant surprise as it is a different extended mix than I already had. I was surprised they didn't include the extended version of Take On Me, but that is pretty readily available elswhere so no big deal. I almost forgot how wonderful the extended version of Hunting High and Low is! The demos are pretty cool too and interesting to listen to. All in all a great addition to my A-ha collection. Now just "25" remains. Sorry to see them break up but it has been a tremendous run and I have enjoyed them for 25 long years!! 0Comment | 2 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Yes No Report abuse Comment a-ha on Apple Music To preview a song, mouse over the title and click Play. Open iTunes to buy and download music. Biography Pal Waaktaar and Magne Furuholmen, formerly of Bridges, formed a-ha in the early '80s. Morten Harket joined the duo, and they left for the now "legendary London flat" (so called because of its state of disrepair) to make it. By late 1983 they had achieved part of that goal by signing to WEA. "Take on Me" took three times to become a hit in the U.K., eventually hitting number two in November 1985. Going one better in the U.S. mainly due to the wide exposure of its stunning video on MTV, which fused animation with real-life action, their only further hit there was "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." which became a U.K. number one in early 1986, helping take the album Hunting High and Low to the Top Ten.

With a-ha's debut album mainly consisting of synth pop, the press were quick to dismiss them as a teeny bop sensation; however, there was more to the group than met the ear in Waaktaar's writing, and a more mature effort, Scoundrel Days, was released in October 1986. More focused, it had a stronger band feel thanks to its live drumming, displayed to great lengths on "The Swing of Things and lead single "I've Been Losing You" -- a shock to critics at the time. Further striking imagery accompanied "Cry Wolf." After a world tour, a-ha supplied the soundtrack to the James Bond flick The Living Daylights. A remix appeared on their third album, Stay on These Roads, in 1988. Considered lackluster, Stay on These Roads did feature some interesting lyrics in "Blood That Moves the Body," regarding the over-intense affection the Japanese had for popular icons in their kamikaze-like suicides. On a lighter note, one of the famous quotes of this period came from Waaktaar: commenting on Def Leppard's success with Hysteria, he scoffed that a-ha were more rock & roll!

In 1990, a-ha were commended by the Everly Brothers for their rendition of "Crying in the Rain" from their fourth album, East of the Sun, West of the Moon, which was largely ignored in the U.K. due to a shift in interests toward dance and the Manchester scene. The year 1993 heralded some much needed new blood in the U2 terrain of "Dark Is the Night" from the Memorial Beach album. Following the unfortunate lack of success following Memorial Beach, Furuholmen retreated into the art world while Waaktaar released the album Mary Is Coming with his new band Savoy. Seven years after the release of Memorial Beach, a-ha issued Minor Earth Major Sky in summer 2000. Released in 2002, Lifelines sold well in Europe and was followed by a lengthy tour, documented on the live album How Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head, which was released in 2003. A year later a-ha celebrated their 20th anniversary by releasing Singles 1984-2004, a collection that would put them back on the U.K. Top 20 Albums chart.

In July of 2005 the band performed in Berlin as part of the massive worldwide event Live8. In November they released the new album Analogue. It was supported by a worldwide tour that included gigs in Russia and a festival in Chile. In 2009, upon issuing their ninth studio album, Foot of the Mountain, a-ha announced that they would be retiring. However, they returned in 2015 with a new album, Cast in Steel, followed by a world tour. ~ Kelvin Hayes A-HA - "Hunting High & Low" - Warner Bros. 1985 1st Pressing | Rock | Audiogon A-HA - "Hunting High & Low" - Warner Bros. 1985 1st Pressing [Expired] no longer for sale "Pal Waaktaar and Magne Furuholmen, formerly of Bridges formed a-ha in the early '80s. Morten Harket joined the duo, and they left for the now 'legendary London flat' (so called because of its state of disrepair) to make it. By late 1983 they had achieved part of that goal by signing to WEA.

"Take on Me" took three times to become a hit in the UK, eventually hitting #2 in November 1985. Going one better in the U.S. mainly due to the wide exposure of its stunning video on MTV, which fused animation with real-life action, their only further hit there was "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." which became a UK number one in early '86 helping take the album Hunting High and Low to the Top Ten. Anyone who dismissed a-ha as a one-hit wonder must have missed out on the band's fine debut, Hunting High and Low. Though the band spawned many further hits across the rest of the world, "Take on Me" exploded in the States and the group never cracked the top of the charts again. It's a shame, because the album contains a handful of songs that nearly match the manic energy and emotional crack of its big hit. Further, it's a cohesive album with smart pace changeups, and it rarely fails to delight or satisfy a listener's need for a synth pop fix.

The opening kick is a huge one: "Take on Me" is a new wave classic laced with rushing keyboards, made emotionally resonant thanks to Morten Harket's touching vocal delicacy. It didn't hurt in the era of MTV that the song's video was a hyperkinetic blend of mind-warping animation and filmed footage with a romantic thriller's heart. Harket's hunky physique and cheekbones also didn't hurt the video's chances at heavy rotation. Getting past that video, "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." is just as thrilling. One can't escape the feeling that Hunting High and Low is a product of the 1980s, but with highs like "Take on Me" and "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.," and no lows in sight, a-ha's debut is a treat worth relishing." - AMG. The record is NM. The jacket is Mint. The LP plays/sounds Mint. The recording is super clear and clean with a wide soundstage and great imaging. Voices have "air" and presence about them and the highs are crystal clear. An "open & airy" sound with much ambience and presence.

Each record is washed on a VPI cleaning machine using a proprietary 3-5 agent process which is determined by the needs of the individual record. Each record is then listened to 100% to insure that the posted description is exactly what you can expect to get. NOTE! Purchase any 3 or more of my LP's together and get 10% off the order as well as savings on shipping! Just click on "More From This Seller" to see a full listing! 0714 Seller Information hunting high and low : definition of hunting high and low and synonyms of hunting high and low (English) link Hunting High and Low is the debut album by Norwegian new wave band A-ha . Released on 1 June 1985 through Warner Bros. Records , the album was a huge commercial success selling more than 10 million units worldwide, peaking at #15 in the United States Billboard 200 and reaching high positions on charts worldwide. The album was recorded at Eel Pie Studios in Twickenham , produced by Tony Mansfield , John Ratcliff and Alan Tarney .

In all, five singles from the album were released, though not all were released internationally: " Take on Me ", "Love Is Reason", " The Sun Always Shines on T.V. ", " Train of Thought " and " Hunting High and Low ". The group was nominated for best new artist at the Grammy Awards in 1986, making A-ha the first Norwegian band to be nominated for a Grammy. As part of a re-release of their first two albums, Hunting High and Low was expanded and remastered in 2010. Contents 8 References Music " Take on Me " was the first single released by the band. An early version was recorded and released in late 1984 with an early music video. The song became a #3 hit in A-ha's native Norway but failed to chart in the United Kingdom. The band went back into the studio to re-record the song for the Hunting High and Low album, but a second UK release in early 1985 was again ignored. Before releasing their single in the United States, the band undertook the production of a new music video for the song, working with director Steve Barron .

Barron had previously created hit videos for Toto , Thomas Dolby , Culture Club and Michael Jackson , but the A-ha video was unlike any of his earlier work. A plot-driven amalgamation of live-action and rotoscope -style animation by husband-and-wife team Michael Patterson and Candace Reckinger, it drew inspiration from Patterson's animated film Commuter and the film Altered States . The innovative video for "Take on Me" was first broadcast on local Boston music video station V-66 , and soon after given heavy rotation on MTV . The single debuted in Billboard the week of July 13, 1985, and was heading into the U.S. top twenty when it was given an international release, including a second release in Norway and a third shot at the UK market. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, spending 27 weeks on the charts and becoming the tenth-biggest single of 1985, [2] and this time going to number two in the United Kingdom and number one in Norway .

In all, the song reached number one in 36 countries, becoming one of the world's best-selling singles of all time with nearly 9 million copies sold. The second single for most of the world was " The Sun Always Shines on TV " ("Love is Reason" had failed to hit the Norwegian Top 40 earlier in the year), and the band followed its massively successful music video with another critically acclaimed clip for the song. Starting off as a sequel of sorts, Harket breaks away from his happy ending to join his band in performance amidst mannequins at a rural church, Saint Albans in Teddington, which has since become an art gallery. "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." improved upon the first single's success in the United Kingdom, hitting number one and remaining there for two weeks in January 1986. It was a top-10 hit nearly everywhere it was released except in the United States, where it peaked at #20 and would be the band's last major hit to date in that country. The single sold 5 million copies around the world. The track was remixed as a dance version, which was a top-5 hit on the U.S.

Dance chart, and B-side to the single and remix was the otherwise unreleased "Driftwood." " Train of Thought " saw limited release as the third single in Europe. It was not released as a 7" in the United States but received rock radio play and a set of remixes again made the dance charts. Waaktaar based the lyrics for this song on existentialist authors and poets Gunvor Hofmo , Knut Hamsun and Fyodor Dostoevsky , his favourites at the time. It was A-ha's third consecutive Top 10 single in the United Kingdom and Ireland, reaching #8 and #5 respectively, and charting well in Germany and Sweden. World sales hit 500,000 copies. The last single from the album was " Hunting High and Low ", released in June 1986. The single saw its highest chartings in France, where it peaked at number four, [3] and the United Kingdom, where it was number five. [4] The single was released in the United States but did not make the Hot 100 .

An extended version was available on 12" vinyl, but the midtempo track did not see dance chart success. Coldplay , a band influenced by A-ha, has been known to perform "Hunting High and Low" in concert. The "Take On Me" video was nominated for eight 1986 MTV Video Music Awards , and at the third annual ceremony September 5, 1986, the video won six awards, including Best New Artist and Viewer's Choice. [5] "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." was nominated for an additional three awards, winning two, for a total of eight wins. Even as the total number of categories has nearly doubled, only one other artist to date has won as many MTV Awards in a single year. Peter Gabriel won nine the following year for "Sledgehammer" and "Big Time," two videos which progressed further down the roads A-ha ventured in groundbreaking use of animation in music video.

In 2002, "Take On Me" was ranked at number eight on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders, although this status is slightly misleading as it reflects A-ha's lack of mainstream success in the United States; the group was by no means a one-hit wonder elsewhere or in career terms. In 2006, "Take on Me" was ranked number 24 on VH1 's Greatest Songs of the 1980s. [6] The cover photograph was taken by Just Loomis and was nominated in 1986 for a Grammy as "Album Cover of the Year." The band released a live version of "The Sun Always Shines on TV" in 2003. Release and reception Hunting High and Low was a-ha's breakout album. Upon its release in May 1985, Hunting High and Low peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 's Top 200 album chart. The album granted A-ha international recognition. Hunting High and Low got 3x platinum status in the UK and Platinum status in the United States and Germany, and Gold status in Brazil, and the Netherlands.

The album peaked at 15 in the U.S., according to Billboard music charts and has sold about 1.8 million copies in the U.S. It peaked at 2 on the UK charts, and hit 1 in Norway. The album has been certified platinum in the United States and 3x platinum in UK. [7] Beginning with the single "Take On Me", A-ha's debut album sold more than eight million copies worldwide and spawned two number one hits. In the fall of 1986, " Take On Me " and " The Sun Always Shines on TV " were nominated for 11 MTV Video Awards combined, and A-ha won eight of these. [8] Tim DiGravina of AllMusic Guide said "It's a cohesive album with smart pace changeups, and it rarely fails to delight or satisfy a listener's need for a synth pop fix...

One can't escape the feeling that Hunting High and Low is a product of the 1980s, but with highs like 'Take On Me' and 'The Sun Always Shines on TV,' and no lows in sight, A-ha's debut is a treat worth relishing." [8] The album has sold more than ten million copies worldwide. [9] Hunting High and Low Tour In June 1986, A-ha began a world tour which went through August 1987. The band had never played a single concert when " Take On Me " shot to #1 in America; soon it could boast a 16-country, 113-city tour under its belt along with countless interviews and television appearances. [8] Remaster On 6 May 2010, the band announced the remaster and re-release of the album. The two disc album will comprise the original album and four 12" tracks on one disc, while the second will feature 19 rare demos and unreleased songs from this era. The album is expected to be released near the end of June 2010.

On July 6, 2010 the albums Hunting High and Low and Scoundrel Days was released as deluxe editions in the USA through Rhino Records and both albums debuted in the top 40 Billboard Top Internet Sales Chart. Hunting High and Low at # 34 and Scoundrel Days at # 36. [10] Track listing a-ha: Hunting High and Low / Scoundrel Days | PopMatters Hunting High and Low / Scoundrel Days iTunes Some bands just don’t get their due until they’re gone. Or, in the case of a-ha, almost gone. Late in 2009, the long-running Norwegian pop act announced it would split following one last tour. Suddenly, a band whose last four studio albums were not released in North America at all was getting the “25th Anniversary Limited Edition Deluxe Remaster” treatment, via these discs (available in the U.S. exclusively through Rhino’s website). A greatest hits compilation from 2004 was finally given an American release, too. For the recording industry, the past can’t come too soon.

That’s not to suggest a-ha’s first two albums, Hunting High and Low (1985) and Scoundrel Days (1986) don’t deserve a fresh listen. A big part of the reason the band eventually gave up on America is it never escaped the shadow cast by “Take on Me” and that music video. a-ha were conveniently labeled a “one-hit wonder” and filed away in the folder marked “1980s synth pop”. Never mind that they actually had a second major hit with follow-up “The Sun Always Shines on TV”, or that they were a fixture on the rest of the world’s charts for years. In 1991, a-ha played before a paying audience of almost 200,000 in Brazil, a world record. Yet by that point, they couldn’t buy a hit in America. Live by the MTV Award, die by the MTV Award. In the meantime, Hunting High and Low has become a landmark or time capsule of 1980s pop, depending on your vantage point. The big hits alone are two of the most thrilling, indelible songs of the era.

Not much more needs to be said about “Take on Me”, except that if you haven’t given it a listen in a while, you owe it to yourself to experience that impossibly giddy synth hook and Morten Harket’s ultra-falsetto once again. “The Sun Always Shines on TV” is as heavy as “Take on Me” is light, a genuinely tense arrangement barely containing the melodrama, big drums, and heartbreak. U2 inadvertently nicked its chorus for the refrain to “Beautiful Day”. Morrissey is on record as a fan, and it’s easy to hear why. There’s something more sincere and substantial at work than most pop pap of the era. That impression holds for about half the songs on Hunting High and Low. The title track is as beautiful and windswept a pop ballad as you’ll hear. Even a lesser track like “The Blue Sky” renders naïveté listenable and snappy. “I used to be confused / Now I just don’t know…,” Harket sings, not the only example of lyrics that are exceptionally smart for a band for whom English is a second language. Still, despite these strengths, too much of Hunting High and Low is too disposable to make it a classic.

“And You Tell Me”, “Love Is Reason”, and several others are little more than short-term synth fixes. Not exactly pap, but not far from it. Somewhat surprisingly, Scoundrel Days rights the balance, and with style, too. From Harket’s gasp that opens the title track, it’s clear that while they might have looked like fey poster boys, they didn’t need to sound like them any more. Especially in its first half, Scoundrel Days establishes a-ha as a group of grown-up songwriters, toughening its sound without sacrificing the raw emotion or the hooks, cracking live drums leading the way. The red-eyed fatalism of “Scoundrel Days”’ verse gives way to a soaring, hopeful chorus. “The Swing of Things” follows a ponderous, almost ambient intro with terse, no-nonsense synth-funk. The choice of “I’ve Been Losing You” as the lead single signaled the band’s desire to distance itself from the effortless pop of “Take on Me”.

Downbeat, bluesy, dirty, and brass-heavy, “I’ve Been Losing You” is hands down the best James Bond theme that never was; much better, in fact, than the song a-ha eventually recorded for The Living Daylights. “October” layers the resigned, mildly jazzy atmosphere so thickly, you can almost feel the chill of the foggy English night Harket is singing about. And then there’s another a-ha touchstone, arguably the last. Mini-epic “Manhattan Skyline” alternates a soft, earnest verse with an angry, hard-rocking chorus and then goes over the melodramatic top with a love-mad Harket protesting, “How can you say that I didn’t try / You know I did,” sounding very much like he’s about to snap. Mind you, this was before Death Cab for Cutie or Dashboard Confessional were old enough to grow facial hair. The birth of emo or not, it’s thrilling stuff that holds up well after a couple decades. The second half of Scoundrel Days struggles to keep the momentum going, but is still far above mid-1980s average.

“The Weight of the Wind” may be a doppelganger for “The Sun Always Shines on TV”, but it’s a satisfying one no less. In America, “Cry Wolf” managed to scare up some airplay, but only after Scoundrel Days had baffled many who were expecting “Take on Me” II. Still, it’s arguably the band’s strongest album, and it foreshadows the more “adult”, organic direction a-ha would take into the 1990s. As these reissues are Deluxe Remastered Editions, you get all kinds of remixes, demos, live tracks, and outtakes. Those interested in a-ha’s creative process of the time might marvel at how far some finished tracks veer from the demos, and the remixes are mostly the old-fashioned, hand-edited type. Therefore, they’re somewhat interesting, but hardly essential. The live tracks reveal a-ha to be a professional, dynamic live act. The outtakes from the demos and sessions that yielded Hunting High and Low were previously available as a bonus with the book The Swing of Things.

Sound-wise, everything is a bit louder, but generally improved, as you’ll notice bits and pieces that were previously lost in the lousy 1980s digital transfers. Thus, now that a-ha is coming to an end, these reissues offer a timely chance to hear how it all began. Now, if Rhino would just issue those four 2000s studio albums, 2009’s fine Foot of the Mountain included, the picture would be more complete and accurate regarding this band that turned out to be a lot more influential and substantial than you might have thought. Hunting High and Low Scoundrel Days Rating: John Bergstrom has been writing various reviews and features for PopMatters since 2004. He has been a music fanatic at least since he and a couple friends put together The Rock Group Dictionary in third grade (although he now admits that giving Pat Benatar the title of "first good female rocker" was probably a mistake). He has done freelance writing for Trouser Pressonline, Milwaukee's Shepherd Express, and the late Milk magazine and website. He currently resides in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife and two kids, both of whom are very good dancers.

Share via a-ha - Hunting High and Low Album - Mp3 Download 10. a-ha - Here I Stand and Face the Rain Hunting High and Low is the debut album of the Norwegian New wave band a-ha. Released 1 June 1985 through Warner Bros. Records, the album was a huge commercial success selling more than 10 million units worldwide, peaking at #15 in the United States Billboard 200 and reaching high positions on charts worldwide. The album was recorded at Rendezvous Studios in London, produced by Tony Mansfield, John Ratcliff and Alan Tarney. In all, five singles from the album were released, though not all were released internationally: Take on Me, Love Is Reason, The Sun Always Shines on T.V., Train of Thought and Hunting High and Low. The group was nominated for best new artist at the Grammy Awards in 1986, making a-ha the first Norwegian band to be nominated for a Grammy. Take on Me was the first single released by the band. An early version was recorded and released in late 1984 with an early music video.

The song became a #3 hit in a-ha's native Norway but failed to chart in the United Kingdom. The band went back into the studio to re-record the song for the Hunting High and Low album, but a second UK release in early 1985 was again ignored. Before releasing their single in the United States, the band undertook the production of a new music video for the song, working with director Steve Barron. Barron had previously created hit videos for Toto, Thomas Dolby, Culture Club and Michael Jackson, but the a-ha video was unlike any of his earlier work. A plot-driven amalgamation of live-action and rotoscope-style animation by husband-and-wife team Michael Patterson and Candace Reckinger, it drew inspiration from Patterson's animated film Commuter and the film Altered States. The innovative video for "Take on Me" was first broadcast on local Boston music video station V-66, and soon after given heavy rotation on MTV. The single debuted in Billboard the week of July 13, 1985, and was heading into the U.S. top twenty when it was given an international release, including a second release in Norway and a third shot at the UK market.

It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, spending 27 weeks on the charts and becoming the tenth-biggest single of 1985, and this time going to number two in the United Kingdom and number one in Norway. In all, the song reached number one in 36 countries, becoming one of the world's best-selling singles of all time with nearly 9 million copies sold. The second single for most of the world was The Sun Always Shines on TV (Love is Reason had failed to hit the Norwegian Top 40 earlier in the year), and the band followed its massively successful music video with another critically acclaimed clip for the song. Starting off as a sequel of sorts, Morten Harket breaks away from his happy ending to join his band in performance amidst mannequins at a rural church, Saint Albans in Teddington, which has since become an art gallery. "The Sun Always Shines on TV" improved upon the first single's success in the United Kingdom, hitting number one and remaining there for two weeks in January 1986.

It was a top-10 hit nearly everywhere it was released except in the United States, where it peaked at #20 and would be the band's last major hit to date in that country. The single sold 5 million copies around the world. The track was remixed as a dance version, which was a top-5 hit on the U.S. Dance chart, and B-side to the single and remix was the otherwise unreleased Driftwood. Train of Thought saw limited release as the third single in Europe. It was not released as a 7" in the United States but received rock radio play and a set of remixes again made the dance charts. Waaktaar based the lyrics for this song on existentialist authors and poets Gunvor Hofmo, Knut Hamsun and Fyodor Dostoevsky, his favourites at the time. It was a-ha's third consecutive Top 10 single in the United Kingdom and Ireland, reaching #8 and #5 respectively, and charting well in Germany and Sweden. World sales hit 500,000 copies. The last single from the album was Hunting High and Low, released in June 1986.

The single saw its highest chartings in France, where it peaked at number four, and the United Kingdom, where it was number five. The single was released in the United States but did not make the Hot 100. An extended version was available on 12" vinyl, but the midtempo track did not see dance chart success. Coldplay, a band influenced by a-ha, has been known to perform Hunting High and Low in concert. The "Take on Me" video was nominated for eight 1986 MTV Video Music Awards, and at the third annual ceremony September 5, 1986, the video won six awards, including Best New Artist and Viewer's Choice. "The Sun Always Shines on TV" was nominated for an additional three awards, winning two, for a total of eight wins. Even as the total number of categories has nearly doubled, only one other artist to date has won as many MTV Awards in a single year. Peter Gabriel won nine the following year for "Sledgehammer" and "Big Time," two videos which progressed further down the roads a-ha ventured in groundbreaking use of animation in music video.

In 2002, "Take on Me" was ranked at number eight on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders, although this status is slightly misleading as it reflects a-ha's lack of mainstream success in the United States; the group was by no means a one-hit wonder elsewhere or in career terms. In 2006, "Take on Me" was ranked number 24 on VH1's Greatest Songs of the 1980s. The band released a live version of The Sun Always Shines on TV in 2003. Hunting High and Low was a-ha's breakout album. Upon its release in May 1985, Hunting High and Low peaked at number 15 on the Billboard's Top 200 album chart. The album granted a-ha international recognition. Hunting High and Low got 3x platinum status in the UK and Platinum status in the United States and Germany, and Gold status in Brasil, and the Netherlands. The album peaked at 15 in the U.S., according to Billboard music charts and has sold about 1.8 million copies in the U.S.

It peaked at 2 on the UK charts, and hit 1 in Norway. The album has been certified platinum in the United States and 3x platinum in UK. Beginning with the single Take on Me, a-ha's debut album sold more than eight million copies worldwide and spawned two number one hits. In the fall of 1986, "Take on Me" and "The Sun Always Shines on TV" were nominated for 11 MTV Video Awards combined, and a-ha won eight of these. Tim DiGravina of AllMusic Guide said "It's a cohesive album with smart pace changeups, and it rarely fails to delight or satisfy a listener's need for a synth pop fix... One can't escape the feeling that Hunting High and Low is a product of the 1980s, but with highs like 'Take on Me' and 'The Sun Always Shines on TV,' and no lows in sight, a-ha's debut is a treat worth relishing." The album has sold more than ten million copies worldwide. In June 1986, a-ha began a world tour which went through August 1987.

The band had never played a single concert when "Take on Me" shot to #1 in America; soon it could boast a 16-country, 113-city tour under its belt along with countless interviews and television appearances. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

Question: Which group had a Top Ten hit in 1986 with 'Hunting High And Low'.
Answer: A-Ha